Appointment filing system



Sept. l, 1958 1 DRULARD APPOINTMENT FILING SYSTEM Filed March l0, 1954 .u UDUDUDYD DD i se @4a/mea 1N V EN TOR.

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United States Paten-t 2,852,279 v APPOINTMENT Fumo SYSTEM Lee Drulard, Toledo, Ohio Application March 10, 1954, Serial No. 415,396

9 claims. (cl. assss) This invention relates to an appointment ling system or mechanical secretary. More particularly, it deals with the tiling of memoranda in a looseleaf type of notebook in a predetermined order, which may be chronological, geographical, and/ or alphabetical, and which also includes a reserve supply of the memoranda sheets to be used therein. For example, this invention eliminates the typical salesmens or professional mans habit of making important notations, such as names and addresses of prospective customers, clients or patients, on scraps of paper and envelopes by providing a'looseleaf memorandum notebook in which prospective customers, clients or patents names are led in a neat and orderly manner to come up for attention or follow-up when and where required.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to produce an efficient, simple, effective, neat, compact, economic and unfailing mnemonic filing system. I

Another object is to produce such a ling system in which appointments and follow-ups automatically appear on the correct day and in which the appointments may be changed to other classications without having to be rewritten in another portion of the notebook or on another memorandum sheet.

. Another object is to produce such a device in which a plurality of names or appointments are visible simultaneously on a single page so that, for example, a whole days work or the items under a certain subject will all be visible at the same time to the user.

Another object is to produce a device for persons having appointments whereby each days work is automatically planned, with their appointments for that day all positively set forth and nothing is left to the persons memory.

Another object is to provide a looseleaf notebook device or binder with time and subject matter groupings disclosing a calendar schedule and customers or clients to i be interviewed, with sheets and tabs for the location and relocation in appropriate sequence of eifective mnemonic assemblies.

Generally speaking, the system of this invention comprises a looseleaf notebook including a binder with aplurality of equally spaced openable rings, which notebook is divided into a plurality of sections by spacer index sheets having index tabs along one of their edges, with one of the sections comprising a supply pad of ller memoranda sheets, preferably located at the back of the notebook. The filler sheets are shorter than the index sheets taken along the ring side of the binder, and narrower so as to rit Within the tabs of the index sheets. Each iiller sheet is provided with a plurality of ring engaging holes so that a plurality of such sheets may be inserted in overlapping step sequence between each of the index sections with the top or bottom edge of each memoranda sheet exposed to indicate the name of the customer, client or patient written thereon. These memoranda or filler sheets also may be provided With spaces for the address and telephone number of the client and include suicient space for memoranda or remarks.

2,852,279' Patented Sept. 16, 1958 l?. Each ller sheet maygbe iilled out and torn from the supply pad which may be located in the back of the looseleaf notebook, and `then vplaced in one of the other sections of the notebook in front of its corresponding or proper index sheet. The sections of the notebook comprise (1) a current section `of index sheets having visible notations, such as numbers according to a given order, for example, one for each day of the month in a chronological system; (2) a reference section which may include both (a) 'a future section, and (b) a closed section, each for the tiling `of liller sheets which do not t into the current section and each of which may be divided by index sheets alphabetically and/or according to the twelve months of the year; and lastly (3) a siipply section in which a supply p ad of filler memoranda sheets is located. In addition to these sections, one or more calendar sheets may be inserted as spacer sheets in a chronological type of appointment notebook of this invention such as: one calendar sheet placed `in the front of the book opposite the index sheet corresponding to the day'of'the month being worked ,by` the salesman, andthe other calendar sheet being placed b efore the supply section or supply pad of ller sheets so that a checkfor the date of the appointment may be immediately obtained as the memorandum or ller sheet is madeout on the pad before being removed therefrom and placed in another section of the lingnotebook for future reference.

Thus, when the notebook of this invention is used by Va salesman or others who need daily reminders of people to be seen on a particular date, the user Aor salesman records the prospective customers name and other pertinent information at the ltime it is secured on one of the prospect or memo/randa sheets in ythe supply section of the notebook. After this information is lled out on this sheet, it is torn oir of the pad and 'filed away before lthe index vsheet corresponding to the day for which the appointment was made. If the appointment is for a day during the current month, the iiller sheet is placed after the number of the date of that day in the current section of the notebook, and if it is for a day in a future month it is placed in the future reference section, such as before the index sheet of the month in which lthat day occurs. After the appointment has been completed and information kobtained, the memorandum or filler sheet may be removed to the closed reference section or it may be destroyed, as desired. In the event a follow-up or another appointment is to be made with the same client or customer, his filler sheet may beremoved and put into the section `containing the proper date Where it will automatically appear again at the proper time. At the end of each day the salesman accordingly removes that days indexsheet from the front of the notebook and places it in the back of its section, so that the next successive day of the month appears'with all of the memorandum sheets placed therein and the memoranda for that day in the following month are placed -in front of it selected from the future reference section. Accordingly, every day the user ofthe present appointment ling system has an automatic reminder of the customers to be seen on that particular day or date and his daily work is automatically planned for him and no customer is forgotten for which a proper memorandum sheet has been made out and led in the notebook. This type of filing system may be made suinciently small to tit into the average mans pocket, may be used not only by salesmen, but also by doctors, lawyers, clergymen, builders, contractors, accountants, executives, department heads, inspectors, clubwomen, and the like.

The above mentioned and other features and objects of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itself wil be best understood by reference to the following' description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a looseleaf binder device hereunder; l

Fig. 2 is adetail of a calendar page insert for the device;

Fig. 3 is a detail view of a date schedule page for the device;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of a carrier page for the device, as a reserve of shop-store-room supply base for tab elements, readily accessible as in the binder device to be inscribed and removed;

Fig. 5 is an after-normal-schedule insert page for the device, with tab elements more or less approaching completed form therefor; r

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective View of a pair of prongs of the loose-leaf binder and operating arms therefor; and

Fig. 7 is a view of the opened device of Fig. 1, with broken away portions, being at a date schedule page therefor.

This invention comprises a book-type of structure having a front cover 1, a rear cover 2, with a connecting back 3, at which back 3 there is located a looseleaf binder mechanism. The binder mechanism comprises a pair of arms 4, coacting through a spring arch plate 5 to swing claws 6, 7, into register to hold, and out of register to release edge-perforated pages or elements of the book structure or housing.

When used as salesman mnemonic equipment, the device may have a calendar page 8, having on one side thereof one full year 9, and on the opposite side thereof the following full year 10 (Figs. 2,. 5). By having the second year calendar 10 in a reverse direction from the calendar 9, at right-side or end up for the book 1, 2, there is avoided mis-reading of the time date to be checked. As the calendar 9 is used, there may be marking out 11 for the time elapsed, shown as to I an. 7, 1954. Perforations 12in proximity to an edge 13 of the calendar insert page 8, definitely permit location of a page 8, say at the left or beginning region of the book, while a second page 8 may be inserted further along in the book, convenient for other direct cross-page reference, as is the initial page 8 as facing a current date insert or index page 14 (Fig. 7).

The dating pages 14 of the current section have specific indicia 15, 'as `for time shown herein as days, in lieu of more or less time interval, such as months, weeks, hours, or minutes but it may have any other indicia which may be desired. The pages 14 also carry at the binding edge 13 seats or oblong perforationsl 12 for mounting and take-out coaction with the claws or arms 6, 7, of the loose-leaf binder device. Cut back 16, along pages 14 and remote from the edges 13 thereof, expose the indicia 15 sequence. In normal practice, as date for use arrives, there is not a swinging of any page to obscurethe calendar 9 (Fig. 7), but as indicia day 7 is exposed for use, the page 14 thereover is taken out and reassembled in the rear of the schedule pages of like indicia 15.

The insert or schedule pages 14, beyond the indicia 15, may carry indicia 17 of a future section of index sheets, as appropriate for or holding memoranda having identifying items, as in selling, for owners, future prospect, or other deemed relevant matter (Fig. 5).

Having in mind, this supplemental matter may accumulate, ready access course is enhanced by re-scheduling such, say alphabetically, or otherwise. To such end, insert sheets 18 of a closed section, similar to the sheets 14, but of width from the loose-leaf binder claws to leave exposed the indicia 17, may carry special indicia 19, with cut outs 16.

The reserve or suply pad of memoranda or ller sheets in this scheduling system may be at insert sheet 20 (Fig. 4), also having an edge 13, with perforations 12.

adjacent thereto, for ready assembly in the book structure, desirably at the right of the second calendar page 8 which is to be at the left of the supply pad so as to expose a year, month, week, day identity just as the rst calendar page is opposite the currently exposed page 14. However, this page 20 is a tab element carrier, having assembled therewith, as by staples 21, a plurality of tab sheets or element 22 carrying sections, with tear markings 23. Endorsement suggestion form 24 is on each tab clement 25, supplemented by rulings. The user of the memorandum book hereunder thus has readily available an ample reserve of elements 22 for having incorporated thereon endorsement data 26 (Fig. 7). The element 25 is then in condition to be torn loose from its mounting on the reserve location 20, and put into the proper location between the schedule pages 14 or 17 to provide a supplemental reminder record; and the plurality of perforations 27 adjacent to edge 28 coact with the plurality of claws 6, 7, to keep the element 25 in a relatively nontilting or horizontal position. These tabs or elements may then be properly grouped for schedule on a time basis, geographic, alphabetic, or other relevancy course as may conform to ecient carrying-through practice of the one making the entry and assembly at a facing region for a schedule page 14. In the course, as the present mnemonic device has served for contact such use is endorsed on the element 2S, and the tab is relocated at an approximate new time schedule therefor, which may carry thru for many placings and replacings, and then to the groupings on a selected sheet 18, say as deferred or not as yet subject to discard in the closed section of the notebook.

An embodiment of the method disclosed may comprise pre-schedule identity matter, data or sheets, which may be parts, or places, but taken herein as of time, with showing of annual calendar of months and days, with in addition to such primary schedule, secondary schedule of the days of the month in their sequence, adapted for mounting progress in the holder device or binder in recycling sequence.

Furthermore supplemental sheets are disclosed, of notation receiving characteristic for program course. Mnemonic value arises here of tickler type. Tab elements or cumulative data identity sheets, are augmentive in their functioning as supplemental information is incorporated therewith. The reserve base sheet assembled in the binder, is convenient for receiving tab endorsement. The seat means tab margin 27, provides ready means for positioning the endorsement-carrying element at the face of a day part sheet. Upon occasion for clearing the program for a day as set forth by the elements thereon, the day sheet or part may be located in its sequence for recycling to leave exposed a succeeding day part, while the tab elements, with new entry thereon is now for each thereof, appropriate for re-assembly in the binder.

W hat is claimed and desired to sccure by Letters Patent is:

1. An appointment system comprising: a looseleaf binder having a plurality of equally spaced and axially aligned leaf retaining rings, a plurality of sections in said binder divided by spacer index sheets fastened in said rings, and a supply pad of iiller sheets in said binder, said ller sheets being shorter and narrower than said index sheets and having a plurality of ring engageable holes for location at any ring spacing distance along said index sheets, said sections comprising: a current section of said index sheets having visible tabs according to a given order for filing said filler sheets according to said order, areference section for tiling said ller sheets for future reference, and a supply section for said supply pad of filler sheets.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein said supply pad is mounted on a sheet having holes for fastening in said rings of said binder.

4. A system according to claim 1 including a calendar sheet in front of said supply section.

5. A system according to claim 1 wherein each of said filler sheets are provided with a place across one end thereof for a name and in between the top and bottom edges a space for other information.

6. A system according to claim 1 wherein said current section comprises index sheets having thirty-one consecutively numbered tabs for each day of any month.

7. A system according to claim 1 wherein said reference section is provided with alphabetical index sheets.

8. An appointment system comprising: a looseleaf binder having a plurality of equally spaced simultaneously openable rings, a plurality of sections in said binder dil vided by spacer index sheets, and a supply pad of ller sheets in said binder, said ller sheets being shorter and narrower than the index sheets and having a plurality of ring engageable holes for location at any ring spacing distance along any said index sheet, said sections comprising: a current section of index sheets having visible numbered tabs according to a given order, a future section for filing filler sheets for future reference, a closed section for filing expired filler sheets for reference, and a supply section for said supply pad of iiller sheets, whereby memoranda may be made on fresh filler sheets on said pad in said supply section and then transferred from said pad and placed into said ring binder before their corresponding index sheets for appropriate reference and whereby the order of said sheets may be changed by changing their location in the binder Without making out new iller sheets therefor.

9. A system according to claim 4 wherein said calendar sheet has calendars for two successive years on opposite sidesthereof, one being printed upside down with respect to the other.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 585,408 Sheppard June 29, 1897 1,635,357 Bemis July 12, 1927 1,819,429 Manzler Aug. 18, 1931 2,068,262 Broion Jan. 19, 1937 2,183,231 Trussell Dec. 12, 1939 2,687,902 Becker Aug. 31, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 359,196 Great Britain Oct. 22, 1931 862,596 Germany Jan. 12, 1953 

